Which one’s greener?

Do you like nature? Do you love trees? Do you like how the wind blows over the grass and leaves and it twirls and twirls, like how poetry has described them? Well, I do! I love the outdoors, but in Australia, the Sun is the harshest in the world (information from here; teachers tell me all the time wikianswers or yahooanswers are not to be trusted, but I still do!) Every time I walk out of the door without sun screen makes me paranoid, “What if I get cancer? I’m going to die!” And I crawl back indoors. But out of Australia is different, so I search up websites on green countries and here are my results.

The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) had researched about it, and came with The World’s Top Ten Greenest Countries. And that is what I am about to share with you today! Let’s do the countdown, shall we?

 

10. Colombia –  76.8 (%)
Colombia’s status on eco-friendliness aren’t the best a while ago, but the country didn’t make it to the list until the government cut down the deforestation and organise eco-friendly projects. This tells us if you believe and do it, you can do it, you can end global warming. But that’s another issue… On to the next.

09/08. Cuba, Austria – 78.1 (%)
Although they have the same index, they each have their own ways to go green. Cuba launched a project on supporting hydroelectricity in an area, while Austria built an ecofriendly garden across the border between the Czech Republic (With consent, of course.) Three cheers for them for their effort!

07. France, 78.2 (%)
Who doesn’t love France? The country with sexy accents and cakes that make you water… And don’t forget the magnificent Paris tower! Why, according to the article, their most interesting fact that helps them accomplish their eco goals is the straw bales for construction of buildings!

06. Mauritius, 80.6 (%)
This place, is an island, next to Madagascar (Hey, hey). It’s run by an African Prime Minister and whoever that person is, he is amazing. Despite the limited resources the island have, the PM is able to make his country eco-friendly. Just the thought of it inspires me.

05. Norway – 81.1 (%)
I always like the sound of Norway, ‘Norway’. If you ask me to name a European country, Norway will always be the first one I think. Why? Don’t know. The country itself is an ‘oil export oriented country’ and I’m glad they are putting effort into making carbon neutral!

04. Sweden – 86.0 (%)
According to the article, Sweden has been put so high from the EPI because of the plan they have on discontinuing fossil fuels by 2020. Fossil fuels are stuff deep in the Earth that are decompositions of animals and plants, but becoming into fuel, the liquid that keeps your car going.

03. Costa Rica – 86.4 (%)
In the past, Costa Rica was in need of space to grow their crops, they had to chop down trees. But now, their main goal is to regrow all the trees they have chopped down. From the last five years, they have planted over five million trees. And now, that is amazing!

02. Switzerland, 89.1 (%)
For a few years, Switzerland has been on the EPI list. How do they do it? A lot of motivation! They just kept going and going to make their country even more eco-friendly, even if they are already on the lead. Do you know? In a few small towns, driving cars are prohibited.

And here goes number one. The moment everyone is anticipating… the number one of the world’s greenest country is……

 

Iceland! With 93.5%!
Remember the Iceland and Greenland irony? Ironically, Iceland became the top of the most greenest on the EPI list. Let’s hope Greenland didn’t come off as the most greenless country! Iceland is consider to be one of the world’s beautiful countries because of the nature. Oh, how I always wanted to visit Iceland! (If you have read my previous entry on the band, Of Monster and Men, they are from Iceland too.) According to statistics, 82% of the electricity and heat in Iceland comes from hydrogen (air) and wind energy in Iceland, only 18% comes from coal. I have to say, I just put Iceland to one of the top of my travel priorities, above London and Paris.

 

If the information I provide are incorrect, I apologise. There may be arguments and debates on whichever country deserves the top greenest, but this is not the conclusion of my research. It is rank by the Environmental Performance Index, and they have their methods on ranking. For more information on them, here is the place. And more information on the article, click here. It will also provide you reader comments, if you are interested.